The industry will see the first “live issues” between charterers and shipowners over the switch to low-sulphur fuel in the last quarter of 2019, Tiejha Smyth tells The Bulletin. Smyth is a deputy director in the Freight, Demurrage and Defence (FD&D) department of the North of England P&I Club, and she – along with the rest of the North FD&D team – is busy advising and helping club members to prepare for the uncertainties.

Technical, regulatory and financial aspects of the 2020 global fuel sulphur cap regime understandably loom large in people’s minds. But the importance of the contractual dimension should not be overlooked. BIMCO is forging ahead with an all-encompassing 2020 Clause for charter parties, which should be published in November.